


The Magic Key

by Amikotsu



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dimension Travel, Divorce, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Multiple Pairings, Multiple Partners, Post-Divorce, Rejection, What-If, everyone is legal, unemployment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29446320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amikotsu/pseuds/Amikotsu
Summary: After failing in his career and marriage, Naruto discovers a magic key that unlocks doors that open into new worlds and leads to multiple possibilities.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25
Collections: Naruto AU Week 2021





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Fantasy

He placed his anthurium plant in the cardboard box, careful not to disturb the red flowers. The heart-shaped flowers and leaves had blessed his sunny corner office for over two years. The plant had been a gift from his ex-wife, and while their marriage had gradually crumbled, the flower had bloomed and prospered. His job was the foundation of his new life as a bachelor, and he hesitated to think about what awaited him in the unemployment line. The cheery plant promised better times, but he didn’t know if he had the same sunny disposition he’d had when he’d first received the plant. He added more to the cardboard box he’d stolen from the copy room: He placed some of the office supplies he’d brought into his office in the box, along with personal touches, like the photos of his children and the photo of the beach in Maui from his honeymoon ten years ago. The picture of his son, Boruto, had the boy wearing his baseball uniform, while the picture of his daughter, Himawari, had the girl dancing in her ballet studio. He’d already thrown out the picture from his wedding and anything reminding him strictly of his wife. He’d gotten tired of the questions about her, from coworkers and upper management, especially when she started seeing Shino from accounting. Finding out had nearly crushed him. His job was his escape, but cutbacks happened and he didn’t have the seniority to survive. His boss, Jiraiya, had apologized, but he knew there was nothing the man could do. Business was business, and they didn’t need Uzumaki Naruto anymore. Everyone found him replaceable.

With a half-empty cardboard box, Naruto gave his office one last look, then he closed the glass door and made the long walk down the office hallway, passing cubicles as he went. Two of his fellow supervisors, Lee and Shikamaru, stood around the water cooler, both of them holding cups of water. Lee waved him over, so he sighed to himself, forced a grin, and changed direction. The elevator called his name, but he decided he needed to say goodbye, as their office friendship had never grown into more. There were occasions where they invited one another out for drinks, but they never found the time to actually go. Eventually, Naruto had stopped trying. Some friendships ran deep, and others remained superficial at best. Shikamaru took one look at the items in the box and looked away, while Lee’s expression fell. Unlike Naruto, they had the seniority to survive the cutbacks. He was bitter, but that was the way of things at Konoha, Inc.

“It’s just temporary,” Naruto lied, reassuring both of them. They all knew the truth, but he decided to give them an out, a way to avoid making a scene by the water cooler. He didn’t want their pity or their apologies, but their eyes spoke the words that went unsaid. “Maybe this will be good for me, you know? Change is good!” Naruto had once thrived on change, but that part of himself, the naive part of himself, had been shoved into the real world face-first. He knew better. Change scared him. Change led to his divorce. Change led to him losing custody of his kids. Change led to Hinata dating Shino.

“Naruto, I’m so sorry,” Lee began, resting a hand on Naruto’s right shoulder. The man was genuine and Naruto knew that, but he shied away from the comforting gesture and averted his eyes. He couldn’t take seeing the sadness there. Lee had always worn his emotions on his sleeve. “Why don’t we meet up for drinks? Really, this time! Tenten is going out to the movies with our son! Shikamaru, are you free?” Shikamaru reached up to scratch his cheek, seemingly caught between the two. Shikamaru wasn’t a bad guy, but he didn’t do well in situations that caught him off guard.

“The wife did want to spend more time with Shikadai,” Shikamaru admitted, shrugging a shoulder. Naruto looked between them, unsure of whether or not he should agree. They had wives. They had sons. He went home to a rundown apartment he could barely afford, where the windows stuck and one door refused to open. “We could meet up at that new bar downtown—Akatsuki. What do you say?” Shikamaru looked at him for the first time in the short conversation and he found himself smiling, the expression genuine.

“Yeah! That sounds great! Why don’t we meet there around seven?” Naruto hesitated after the question, suddenly questioning if he’d taken things too far, if he’d tried to rush something that required more time. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the upper management team start walking towards him, so he shifted on his feet, pretending that his half-empty box was much heavier than it was. Lee agreed, nothing but pure enthusiasm, while Shikamaru shrugged again and nodded. Like that, he had another opportunity for deeper friendships. Some part of him scoffed at the excitement that curled in his gut. “See you then, guys!”

He heard the manager call out to him, but he ducked his head and hurried toward the stairs, forgoing the wait time at the elevators. His office was on the fifth floor, so he had quite a few flights of stairs. No one was in the stairwell with him, so he took his time. Every now and then, he’d poke his head around the box to check the stairs, making sure that he wasn’t going to bump into anything. The peace and quiet felt nice, but he dreaded the silence waiting for him in his apartment. He’d grown used to a loud household: Hinata was always playing music, and Boruto was always throwing a fit over something, and Himawari was chattering about her day, and he missed those things. If he’d had the money for a better attorney, he might have won custody of them, but her family had money, and he stood no chance. Boruto was temperamental, going into his preteen and teenage years with a chip on his shoulder. They’d argued a lot. Boruto always told him he worked too much, and Naruto always told him that it was to keep a roof over their heads. In the silent apartment, he missed those arguments. He missed Hinata holding him as he broke down over the explosion. He missed Himawari bringing him pictures she drew to make him smile again. And in the end, he and Boruto always made up, each and every time, because there was love between them. He missed his family. He didn’t know divorcing his wife would cost him all of it.

When he reached his sedan, he went around to the passenger side so he could unlock the door and shove his cardboard box into the seat. The car had seen better days, but he'd lost his Sorento in the divorce, so he got by with a piece of a car that he bought with the meager savings he'd had left. The air conditioning didn't work and the passenger window wouldn't budge, but it had gotten him through two years just fine. He'd named the car Kurama because of the deep red color, and that car was more than enough for him. Old, but reliable. 

The drive home was filled with 80s songs and shameless karaoke, just to remind himself that he still had fun and Hinata hadn't ruined music for him. He preferred oldies, while she liked folk music. His apartment was on the poorer side of town, where the cops constantly patrolled the streets, trying to discourage would-be criminals. He'd picked the place because the landlord was a sweet old lady and she had the wonderful habit of bringing him meals whenever she "made too much food" for herself. She liked to act tough, and she was definitely a gambler, but he liked her as soon as he’d met her. He'd nearly trampled the begonias out front and she'd threatened to beat his ass so hard he'd be feeling it in the next life. That was how he found out they both liked plants. As he pulled into the side parking lot, he thought he saw her kitchen window open. When she poked her head out to check on the noise, she frowned at him and then tapped her wrist. He was early. And he really didn't want to explain his sob story. 

"You're early, Uzumaki. The pies aren't even done yet. I made cherry," Tsunade said, crossing her arms atop the windowsill. Naruto had gotten out of his car and went to retrieve the box from his passenger side. "I know you aren't working from home. You got canned, didn't you? Same thing happened to Dan last month."

"You keep in contact with your ex?" He slammed the car door by bumping it with his hip. She made a so-so motion with her hand, then she produced a can of beer. "It's not even noon, granny!"

"It's five o'clock somewhere, kid," she grinned, downing another drink. He hated beer, so he couldn't understand how a seventy-year-old woman could chug beer the way she did. "You good? You need a few drinks? I've got vodka and tequila. The whiskey is gone," she offered, her expression serious. He sighed at her, but then he smiled and shook his head. 

"No thanks, granny. I'm going out with some friends tonight. I don't want to show up trashed, dattebayo! Let me know when the pie is ready though!"

"Fucking kids these days. Yeah, yeah."

He went inside before he heard her slam her window closed. His apartment was on the third floor, so he took the back steps up to his floor. He had to balance his box on his knee while he struggled to unlock the door. In the end, he ended up spilling the box on the floor and had to collect everything all over again. He'd managed to save the plant, which was a win, in his opinion. He stumbled over loose items that littered the floor and nearly fell face first over his armchair, but he successfully navigated his way to the kitchen, where he dropped his cardboard box on the table. After stretching his back, he tossed his keys onto the table and dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. Arms crossed on the table, he put his head down and sighed. He wasted hours there, thinking about his future, thinking about the friends he'd had back home. Hinata had been the one to chase big city life, not him. He missed the suburbs, maybe even the farm he'd grown up on with his foster family. He'd changed so much for her and it was never quite enough. He should have listened to his foster father, Iruka. Hinata had been a mistake.


	2. Chapter 2

Akatsuki was a wild new club that catered to a younger crowd, but Naruto saw a lot of potential for someone in his thirties. He'd waited outside until half past eight before he realized that he'd been stood up again. It was disappointing, but he was already out and he didn't feel like making the drive across town just to drink with Tsunade until they both blacked out. It was pathetic, and she liked to prank him while he was passed out. He made the choice to stay, and he tried to enjoy himself. A pretty blonde sat at the other end of the bar, her long blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail. She was pretty, pink gloss on prefect lips, so he bought her drink, hoping that she might be into him. No man stayed at her side, just girls coming and going for what looked like ladies night. When the bartender delivered her drink, he pointed down the bar to Naruto and he blushed under the sudden attention. She smiled though, and that made him brave enough to approach her. 

He slid onto the barstool next to her and turned toward her, so she turned toward him too. She was drinking what looked like a long island, while he nursed a whiskey straight. Up close, he saw her light blue eyes and the slight coloring on her fair cheeks. She was absolutely gorgeous, and he didn't even know what to say to her. He hadn't been in the dating scene in over a decade. What did they even talk about? As he silently scrambled for something to say, she laughed. 

"Relax, I'm already into you. Just breathe," she teased him, lightly brushing her hand against his. He cleared his throat, then he chuckled, because she’d called him out on his nerves. He must have looked totally lost. "Start with your name. I'm Ino." She motioned with her hand, so he looked away from her. "You're so cute!"

"Ah, not what a man generally wants to hear. My name’s Naruto," he finally said, offering her a winning smile. She lightly tapped her glass against his and took a drink of her long island. "Have you been here before?" The music changed and the volume went up, so he leaned in to continue their conversation.

“A few times. This is my first ladies night.” Her voice rose so he could hear her over the music and he decided then that he loved her voice. “I’m a nurse, so I don’t get out much,” she admitted, smiling. She was smart and sexy and that was exciting for him. His office friends might have stood him up again, but that gave him time to talk to her, and they talked for well over forty minutes. When her friends approached, she waved at them. “Hey, had enough dancing, guys?” Ino poked one girl in the side and she giggled. She’d clearly had too much to drink. “This is Naruto,” Ino introduced him.

“Nice to meet you, Naruto. I’m Karui and this is Tamaki,” Karui said, motioning to the woman who’d giggled. Naruto smiled at the two. Karui leaned in to whisper something into Ino’s ear and Ino’s expression fell. He had a feeling he knew what they were whispering about, but he still hoped he was wrong. When Ino grabbed her clutch from the bar, his worries were proven correct.

“Sorry, Naruto. Tamaki had a little too much to drink,” Ino apologized, looking just as disappointed as Naruto felt. She leaned in to press her lips to the scars on his right cheek, then she brushed a thumb over his cheek to wipe the gloss away. Before she took two steps from the bar, he called out to her.

“Can I get your number?” She raised a hand to slap her forehead, then she laughed. He took his phone out and she took it from his hands and added her name and number to his contacts, then she sent herself a text. In a pause between songs, he heard her phone chime in her clutch. “It was nice meeting you,” he offered, unsure of what else to say. In a split-second decision, he leaned him to hug her. She was shorter than he was, but he thought it was cute. Cute. Just like she’d said earlier in their conversation.

“Have a good night! Don’t drink too much, alright?” Ino waved to him as she followed her friends into the crowd. 

He didn’t know he was grinning until the bartender arrived to refill his drink and chuckled at him. He proudly displayed his phone, where he had a single text message with a heart emoji. The bartender congratulated him and gave him a drink on the house, so he happily nursed another whiskey straight. He didn’t meet another woman like Ino, not that he expected to meet another beautiful woman. A man bought him a drink about an hour before he finally gave up and called it a night. His name was Kiba, and he wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t Naruto’s type. All they did was bicker about baseball teams and the greatest baseball players of all time. He was too much like Naruto, and while that was a good thing in some areas, it wasn’t a good thing in all areas. As he left, he patted Kiba on the back and told him not to get too wasted. The man meant to forget that his best friend was in a relationship with a girl he’d loved since middle school, and they’d only just reconnected. Naruto felt bad for him, so he’d shared the fact that he’d gotten divorced, and they’d had drinks until the conversation was forgotten.

He shouldn’t have been driving, but the streets were empty and he wasn’t struggling to walk, so he said a little prayer for luck, got into his sedan, and started the drive to the other side of the city. He put his window down and let the cool night air wash over his warm face. He’d rolled the sleeves up on his white dress shirt over an hour ago, and he’d tired of the dress pants he wore the moment after Ino had left. Kiba told him he was overdressed, but Naruto simply flipped him off and cited that he’d met a beautiful woman while being overdressed. He still remembered the two-piece purple dress Ino had worn. Just the thought of her had him grinning. The place was a little overpriced, and he was sure to feel the pain near the end of the month, but he knew he would go back again in a heartbeat. Getting stood up was embarrassing and disappointing, but he didn’t mind, not anymore. Ino had changed that. And Kiba wasn’t _terrible_.

Naruto half-expected Tsunade to be leaning out of her kitchen window, but her apartment was dark. In the parking lot, he locked the doors of his sedan and began a slow walk to the backdoor. His bed called to him, begging him to simply throw himself over the comforter and pass out until two in the afternoon. He fumbled with his keys a few times, dropping them on the hallway floor, but he eventually found the key to his apartment and let himself in. He hit the lights in the room and went straight for the kitchen to chug some juice and raid the fridge for food, but something on his kitchen table caught his eye. A single postcard and a key was in the middle of his table. The postcard had a picture of a beautiful beach at sunset, the colors almost breathtaking. The key was old, looking like a stereotypical skeleton key with its long, simple appearance. The key had a heart shape on the end, so he turned it around in his hand a few times. He’d asked for a key to the locked room in his apartment, so he assumed Tsunade had finally found it. When he inspected the postcard a little closer, he read the words _wish you were here_ in perfect cursive. Naruto left the key on the table, but he put the postcard on the fridge, using one of his Las Vegas magnets to hold it in place. After that, he rooted around in his kitchen for another thirty minutes, then passed out on the couch.

He dreamt of blonde hair and pink, plump lips and purple, so much purple. He awoke sometime near one in the afternoon and he groaned when he realized he’d left the overhead light on all night. Slowly sitting up, he massaged his temples to try and ward off the ache coming from his head. He’d had worse hangovers, so he didn’t bother complaining. Swinging his legs over the side of the couch, he placed his bare feet on the carpet and wiggled his toes, focused on anything to keep his mind off of his headache. When he heard his stomach growl, he sighed and went toward the kitchen to whip up some eggs and toast. As he passed the kitchen table, he caught sight of the key again, so he paused and grabbed it. For some reason, his eyes went to the postcard on the fridge. Wish you were here. He took the key to the hallway closet, the short hallway leading from the living room to his bedroom and the bathroom, then he slipped the key into the lock. When he turned the handle, the door creaked open. After that, he didn’t remember much. He must have passed out. For some reason, his mind focused on the fact that he smelled cherry blossoms. And that was it.


	3. Sakura

“Are you going to sleep the whole day away?”

“Five more minutes,” he managed to groan, burying his face into his pillow. When he realized he’d heard another voice and he hadn’t invited anyone into his apartment, he jerked upright and looked around his room, eyes wild. Sakura stood at his bedside, one brow arched at his panicked face. She looked older, around his age, and he hadn’t seen her since he was seventeen. She was still just as beautiful, maybe moreso, so he let his eyes wander over her pale face, from her green eyes to her lips and back again. “Sakura?” He sounded confused, and her expression shifted to one of concern. “What are you doing here?”

“I live here. Are you alright?” Sakura sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch his forehead. He was warm, but he didn’t have a fever, and he didn’t show any signs of a concussion or a stroke, so her hand went to his thigh, where she gave it a squeeze. “You had too much to drink at the housewarming party,” she sighed, shaking her head. Her shoulder-length pink hair moved with her. She’d stopped hiding behind her hair like she’d done in high school.

“I, wait, I,” Naruto struggled, trying to wrap his head around her words. He hadn’t gone to a housewarming party. He remembered going to the club and meeting Ino, and then he remembered opening the hallway closet. His mind went back to the fact that he hadn’t seen his crush in a little over a decade. “Yeah,” he lied, deciding to go with the flow. Dream or not, he smiled at her and squeezed her hand. 

The bedroom was different. Sakura had been in love with the color pink, but the room wasn’t dominated by the color. Where his room had been dominated by shades of orange, the room around him had navy blue, with a green chair on the far side of the room, the colors somehow working together. It was nicer than his bedroom, definitely bigger than his bedroom, and the room’s closet was much larger, having two sliding doors instead of one. Sakura asked him what he wanted for breakfast, but he caught her in his arms and tugged her into the bed. She let out a squeal, followed by laughter, but she didn’t try to get away from his bear hug. He’d smelled cherry blossoms, and she smelled just like them. Whatever had happened to give him such a dream, he was thankful. She’d somehow returned his feelings, and they were together, truly together. The ring on her finger promised that. He didn’t know how long he held onto her, but he breathed her in with every breath and pressed a kiss to her neck. She lay with him, half on top of him, and seemed perfectly content to be there with him.

“Do you want breakfast or not, chubby?” She poked his stomach and he snorted with laughter. When she laughed, he fell in love with her all over again. He felt seventeen, wrapped up in his feelings for her. She was the first girl he’d developed feelings for; she was the one that got away. If he’d been braver, he might have confessed to her. The dream world gave him what he’d desired most. “Naruto,” she warned, his right hand snaking down her back to lightly tap her ass. “If you don’t get up, you’ll never meet your deadline and your editor will murder you. I’ll let him too.”

“Sakura-chan,” he whined, giving her ass a squeeze. She swatted his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, so he wheezed. His momentary shock allowed her to slip out of his arms. Instead of darting away, she leaned down to peck him on the lips. “I don’t care about my editor. I want morning cuddles,” he declared, reaching out to try and snag her again. 

“Uh uh, I promised you’d be timely and professional. Up you go, Uzumaki. I’ll make you some eggs and bacon,” she tempted him, getting him to throw the covers back. She poked his stomach once, then she turned and disappeared, leaving him to yawn and stretch his arms over his head.

They lived in a house. He knew the moment he left his bedroom. The house had plants scattered around, all of them alive and green with colorful flowers in bloom. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of grey sweats, so he didn’t bother changing. He didn’t care about timeliness when his stomach told him he was starving. Their bedroom was on the second floor, and there were two other bedrooms on the floor, both of them decorated for children. He wondered if they had any together, or if they were from Hinata and himself. As awful as it was to admit, he hoped that the children were Sakura’s and his. The downstairs was nice, with a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, and a hallway. As he peered out the window on the front door, he saw a beautiful yard and hydrangeas framing the porch. They lived out in the country. He didn’t see anything that marked the place as a city. Another one of his dreams had shone through. When Sakura called his name, he eagerly went in search of her and found her setting the table. Four plates sat on the square, dining-room table, all of them with eggs, bacon, and toast, and each setting had a glass of orange juice and some jam. She even knew that he liked strawberry jam with his toast.

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a closed-mouth kiss to her lips. She made a remark about his toothbrush, so he nudged a kiss to her jaw and broke away to claim a seat at the table. Before he could compliment the food, two children rushed into the room, one clearly chasing the other. One was a little girl with pink hair in two pigtails, while the other looked exactly like Boruto, almost a carbon copy of himself. He found himself struggling not to cry. He had his children in his life, and everyone looked so happy. He grabbed both kids before they could sit down and squeezed them in a tight hug.

“Mom! Let me go, old man!” Boruto complained, but he didn’t struggle to get away. The girl, still named Himawari, happily hugged them both, content to giggle and share her love with them. “I’m hungry,” Boruto complained, the complaints never ending. Naruto choked on a laugh and reluctantly released them. “It smells great, Mom!” 

“It looks yummy!” Himawari went to reach for the jam in the center of the table, but Sakura swatted her hand. She pouted instead and waited for them to declare itadakimasu, then she went back to reaching for the jam. Her table manners were perfect, much like Sakura’s, while Naruto watched Boruto scarf all of the food down without pausing for a breath. Seeing it as a challenge, Naruto did the same.

“Ugh, you guys are so gross,” Sakura declared, nose wrinkled in disgust. Himawari started to follow their lead, but Sakura leveled a look at her that had the girl lowering her plate back to the table to eat with some sense. Naruto finished first, followed seconds later by Boruto, and they laughed at their eating contest. Naruto reached for the plate of bacon and nabbed two pieces for himself. “How’s the sequel coming along?”

“Do we have to talk about Dad’s gross books at the table?” Boruto wrinkled his nose and he looked just like Sakura. Naruto stared at his son until the boy gave him a questioning look. It was how things should have been. He should have married Sakura, had kids with Sakura, grown old with Sakura. He decided then that he never wanted to wake up again. 

“They’re not gross. They’re romance novels. You’re gross,” Sakura said, sticking her tongue out at Boruto. Boruto made a face at her and Himawari made a face at him, so Naruto made a face at them all. “You better hurry up. You’ll miss the bus again, and I’m _not_ driving you into town again,” Sakura warned, much to Boruto’s alarm. The kid sprang into action, dragging Himawari along with him. Apparently, they walked to the bus stop together. 

When the kids had left, their departure marked by the slamming of the front door, Naruto helped himself to the bacon left on Himawari’s plate too. Sakura shook her head at him, but he grinned at her and she smiled. They were so in love. He finished his food and patted his stomach, letting out a tiny sigh. He was completely content, happier than he’d been in years. As she cleared the table, Naruto grabbed some dishes and went to help her clean up, even though she told him he needed to focus on submitting the final draft of his book. Apparently, he was an author, the author of the famous _Icha Icha_ series. They were great romance novels, but Naruto had never been interested in them. There were too many graphic sex scenes and that wasn’t his cup of tea. While Sakura washed the dishes, Naruto stood next to her and rinsed and dried them. She hummed while she worked, occasionally looking over at him with her smile. She looked so relaxed when she smiled, as if they hadn’t been married for almost ten years, as if she’d never seen someone as wonderful as him, and he was sure he looked at her the same way.

A noise came from somewhere in the home. She bumped him with her hip and told him to hurry and answer the skype call, so he set the dish towel down and went in search of the noise. There was a basement door, so he opened the door and flipped on the light. The basement was finished and made into an office, half of it still the laundry room. Naruto descended the stairs and turned on the lights for the rest of the basement, then he walked over to the mahogany desk and sat down in the leather chair. He answered the skype call and saw Shikamaru appear on the screen. The man was smoking, as usual, and he looked stressed.

“You’re late again. Do you have the draft? I’m short on time and I need to submit the edited work to the publisher by ten. Do you really have to do this to me every time?”

“Whoa. I’m sorry! Just give me a minute. I’m sure it’s here somewhere. Um. Wait. No, that’s not it. Aha! Nope. Um,” Naruto struggled, searching through numerous documents on his computer. When he finally found the finished product, he emailed it to the email address listed in his address book. When he heard a ping, he saw Shikamaru relax. “Hopefully it’s not too bad. I’m not that terrible,” Naruto rambled. Shikamaru opened the document and his brows rose, so Naruto, panicking, thought the worst. “I’m sorry! I can rewrite it! Just send it back. Fuck,” Naruto hurriedly spoke.

“This is great, Naruto. _Icha Icha Violence_ , huh? That’s a strong title. This is what people were waiting for,” Shikamaru complimented him, smirking at the camera. Naruto, embarrassed, rubbed the back of his head. “You always come through in the end,” Shikamaru said, putting out his cigarette. He continued reading through the first chapter, pointing out smaller mistakes, then he declared that there wasn’t much he needed to do, except fix some punctuation here and there. Naruto practically beamed at him. “How’s Sakura? Temari asked about her.”

“Huh? She’s great! Everything’s really great! How’s everything with you?” 

“Troublesome.”

“Figured. Tell Temari we said hello. Maybe we could have you guys over for dinner sometime soon,” Naruto offered. Shikamaru smiled and nodded, and Naruto wondered if the man would stand him up again. 

They talked for almost two hours, then Shikamaru declared that he’d finished editing and needed to reach out to the publisher, so they bid one another goodbye and Naruto closed skype. Naruto leaned back in his leather chair and laced his fingers behind his head, content to look up at the pristine, white ceiling. From the basement, he heard Sakura humming, then he heard the basement door open and close. Sakura descended the stairs, a laundry basket resting against her hip. He sprang to his feet and took the laundry basket from her, then he followed her to the back laundry room. He wondered if she had the dream job she’d always wanted. She used to talk about being a social worker, about all of the children she wanted to help in the profession. She was the only one Naruto knew that had a clear goal in mind for her life. While he stayed local and went to a community college, she had left for the capital, for a big-name university with strict acceptance requirements. She was always a genius; school came easy to her. With the careful way she loaded the washing machine, he began to accept that she was likely a stay-at-home mom. He wondered if she blamed him for taking away that dream; he wondered if she felt the same way Hinata had felt—trapped.

“I told Shikamaru we should have his family over for dinner. Is that alright?”

“You ask like it’s something new. He’s always coming over. He’s your best friend.”

“Ah, so he is.” He hadn’t known that, and that made him feel much better. His dream filled in the blanks, building relationships he’d wanted and failed to acquire. When she finished loading the washer, he set the cycle and he cornered her to kiss her again. “Hey,” he complained when she pulled away.

“Brush your teeth, stupid,” she huffed, turning her head away to hide her blush. He raised a hand to his mouth and exhaled into it, finding that his breath didn’t exactly stink, but he did need to brush his teeth. He decided he needed a shower too, so he sighed and let her go. “Is there anything you need from the grocery store? I already know you want almond milk for breakfast and wine coolers for this weekend.”

“I’ll go with you!”

“Huh? You hate going to the grocery store. You usually hide when I ask you to go.”

“Ah, well, you know, I just want to spend some time with you, dattebayo! I love you.”

“Alright, who are you and what have you done with my husband?” Sakura leaned in and narrowed her eyes at him, feigning suspicion. He chuckled, nervous, and pulled back, his eyes immediately cutting to the side. He felt as if he were back at the club, unsure of what he should say to her. “Well, I’m not going to complain. Get ready. I’ll make a list for us.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Naruto gave a mock salute and hurried away, intent on grabbing clothes for his shower. He climbed the steps two at a time, then hurried to the staircase for the second floor. Behind him, Sakura closed the basement door and went into the kitchen to make a shopping list.

They spent the day together, both of them enjoying time together. Without the kids around, Naruto found himself falling in love with Sakura all over again. She was funny, even when she was threatening to make him sleep on the couch for slipping in chocolate she said would ruin her figure. She looked beautiful, regardless of her size, and he told her as much. He’d never seen her blush so much. His words silenced her, so he slipped some more chocolate into the grocery cart and they moved on to other things. Naruto had enough money to pay for everything. As an internationally recognized author, he raked in quite a lot of money, and he decided he’d use it to spoil his family. From the grocery store, Naruto insisted they go to the shopping mall and buy Boruto the handheld game console he’d wanted for well over six months. Apparently, he and Sakura had agreed to wait until his birthday, but Naruto easily convinced her to buy it and surprise him, since he had great grades in school. The kid clearly didn’t get it from Naruto. 

They got home in the middle of the afternoon, and they unpacked the groceries together. When they were finished, Sakura took the game system and wrapped it in some old wrapping paper she had left over from Boruto’s last birthday. He liked the shuriken pattern; apparently, he was obsessed with shinobi and war. Who knew the kid was such a history buff. When Boruto and Himawari returned home, Sakura presented Himawari with a porcelain doll for her collection, and Naruto presented Boruto with the wrapped gift. The boy looked at it suspiciously, then gave the package a shake. When he didn’t hear anything, he began to tear the wrapping paper off. His face was worth the money it cost for the game system. He nearly tackled his parents. Naruto had to catch Sakura before she hit the ground. He’d never seen Boruto look so happy. The son he knew was a cranky kid, far too spoiled to truly appreciate a gift. The Boruto before him was the best version, and he wondered if it was too late to fix his relationship with his son. He missed his kids all over again, but he pushed the hurt aside to enjoy the dream as it was.

“How about Ichiraku’s for dinner? I can go pick it up,” Sakura offered. Naruto cheered, so she laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Boruto had his head stuck in his racing game, while Himawari had distracted herself with her new collectible. 

“I’ll go pick it up, dattebayo! You just stay here and relax,” Naruto grinned, happy to lean in and kiss Sakura. She blinked a few times, clearly surprised, but he was already moving to grab his orange-and-black jacket. “Be back soon!” As sad as it was, he still remembered Sakura’s favorite kind of ramen, something that had lasted over a decade, like something precious, tucked away in the back of his mind.

Hands tucked into his pants pockets, Naruto whistled as he walked, happy to be out and about. The restaurants were in the next section of town, but he didn’t want to take the minivan; instead, he chose to walk. For being a dream, everything felt too real, from the sun sinking toward the horizon to the sound of cars zooming through green lights. He stopped at a crosswalk and watched a fancy sports car round the corner and make a left on green. When the crosswalk announced it was safe to cross, he looked both ways and hurried across the street. Halfway to the other side, he heard a series of honks. A truck slammed into him and he smashed into the windshield, shattering the glass. The driver hit the brakes, so Naruto rolled down over the hood and fell to the asphalt. He felt shooting pain throughout his body, but the feeling quickly faded, replaced by a comfortable numbness. He lay on his side and watched the driver-side door open and a man hurry towards him. It was Kiba, and he looked absolutely terrified to see him on the ground, a pool of blood slowly surrounding him. It was a good way to die, all things considered. He’d had a wonderful dream, and it was time to wake up again. He hadn’t even had one full day in the dream world, but he didn’t regret a thing. Except not hugging Sakura, not kissing Sakura, not telling her he loved her before he left. Except not hugging Boruto, not telling him how much he loved him. Except not hugging Himawari tight enough, not telling her how proud he was of the easy way she made friends. When he closed his eyes and reopened them, he was lying in the hallway of his apartment, his head pounding, his heart heavy. He didn’t understand what had happened. The key was clutched in his right hand, and the closet door was closed again. His perfect life was over. Sakura was that girl again, the one that got away.


	4. Sasuke

Naruto sat at the kitchen table, pouring over the classifieds for job openings. He’d already circled three, but they were basic jobs like lawn care and babysitting. His degree in economics wept at the idea of getting a job outside of his expertise, but he needed cash more than he needed pride. And as it was, employees in basic fields were essential too. The pay was downright insulting, but desperate times meant desperate measures. He circled an ad about a dog walker, then he sighed and pushed the newspaper aside. The key to the closet remained on the table, and his eyes went from the section of newspaper to the key. He hadn’t tried opening the closet again, but he wanted to. He wanted to pass out again and wake up in Sakura’s arms. But something wasn’t right with the key. Something was off, and he couldn’t put his finger on it. Still, he reached for the key and felt the weight of it in his palm. He’d asked Tsunade about the key, but she said she hadn’t been in his apartment. That didn’t explain the presence of the key or the postcard stuck to his freezer. No sane person broke into someone’s apartment and left a cryptic postcard and a creepy key. He hesitated, but he pushed away from the table and slowly made his way to the hall closet. It had been three days since he’d opened the closet, and he meant to prove that the whole thing was a coincidence and downright harmless. As soon as he opened the door, the world went dark. Something wasn’t right with the key.

He opened his eyes to a dark living room that definitely wasn’t his living room. He remained still, trying to survey his surroundings without alerting anyone. But there was someone sitting at the end of the couch and his feet were in the man’s lap. Naruto had no choice but to lie there and hope the person left. Slowly, the realization hit him. His best friend from college was there, and his feet were in the man’s lap. He decided to give up pretending and slowly drew his feet back toward his body, alerting Sasuke of his alert state. The man was engrossed in a crime show; he almost forgot how much of a crime-show buff the man was. Sasuke had gone to school for criminal justice. He wondered if the man had made it and replaced his father as police chief. Sasuke looked older, definitely out of his twenties, but he still looked as handsome as ever. Naruto felt embarrassed just thinking about the fact that he’d let his eyes roam over Sasuke’s body. If Sakura was the woman that got away, Sasuke was the man that got away. Their friendship had meant so much to Naruto, and he hadn’t wanted to risk losing him by confessing his feelings. Sasuke swept into his life like rising waters, but high tide hadn’t lasted forever. They had no contact anymore. The last Naruto had heard, he was seeing some guy in the realtor business. Neji, or something.

“How long are you going to stare at me?”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about, dattebayo! I was just thinking about how ugly you were, teme!”

“You’re calling _me_ ugly? Hn. Dobe, you obviously haven’t looked in the mirror lately.”

Naruto’s temper flared and he opened his mouth to insult Sasuke, but the words died on his lips. Sasuke turned to him and smirked, clearly happy to know that he’d won the exchange. Sasuke’s hair was longer, one side covering his bad eye. Sasuke had been in an accident as a teen and lost it, and he hated when people stared at him. The glass eye made him grouchy. Naruto didn’t know if they were friends or something more, but he leaned over to brush the hair from over Sasuke’s left eye. The eye was still there, all glass, but Sasuke huffed at him and pulled away, allowing his hair to fall back into place. Naruto smiled at him, knowing well that the expression spoke volumes about his feelings. He thought he saw color on Sasuke’s cheeks, but the poor lighting could have been playing tricks on him. They only had the light of the television, and the crime shows were dark. Naruto sat criss-cross on the couch and stared again, content to drink him in. He was handsome, but he was always handsome. Naruto still remembered the fan girls that had followed him around, the tons of valentines shoved under their dorm-room door. Sasuke had given him all of the chocolates, so he hadn’t complained. It had hurt to see the people throw themselves at him and know that he wasn’t any better than them. Sasuke was the first guy that made him question his sexuality. Sasuke had always held a special place in his heart.

“Hey, Sasuke?”

“Hm?”

“I,” Naruto began, struggling to voice all of the emotions swelling in his chest. He’d failed at confessing to his Sasuke, but dream Sasuke was just as difficult. Naruto looked at the television, watching a few minutes of the crime show, seeing the way detectives reconstructed the crime scene, then he turned his eyes back to Sasuke. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke had been staring, waiting. “I have feelings for you, and not friend feelings. You’re my friend, but, you know, more than that? I don’t know,” Naruto said, his voice a mumble near the end. Sasuke chuckled and he found himself staring, open mouthed. “Hey! I confessed to you! Don’t laugh at me!”

“I’d hope you have feelings for me, stupid. I’m your boyfriend,” he snorted, shaking his head. He leaned over and lightly knocked his knuckles against Naruto’s head. Naruto blinked a few times, then he threw himself at a shocked Sasuke and nuzzled into his neck, content to take in the scent of sandalwood. Sasuke had always smelled so good. “Did you hit your head today? I guess this is normal behavior though. You’ve always been dim,” he teased and wrapped an arm around Naruto.

“Nope! Just had a weird dream, that’s all! Man, you make me really happy, you know that?”

“I’m not giving you head while my show is on.”

“W-what? No! I’m just saying,” Naruto began, cut off by Sasuke’s eye roll and a soft snort. 

“Uh huh,” Sasuke said, patting Naruto’s back. 

It was quiet for the next fifteen minutes, neither man making a move to break the hug. Naruto nuzzled into Sasuke again and Sasuke rubbed little circles on Naruto’s back. The dream with Sakura had been heaven, but the dream with Sasuke was so much more. They were opposites, but they had some things in common. Sasuke preferred coffee to tea, and he took it black with little sugar; Naruto preferred soda, specifically orange soda. Sasuke had made him cut back on it in college. When Naruto married Hinata, he’d had to give up the habit completely. Naruto nabbed the blanket that had been over him and covered himself and Sasuke. The couch wasn’t a bed, but it was comfortable. Naruto didn’t care where they lived or what they did or what their situation was like. They were boyfriends, and he remembered all of the good times he’d had with Sasuke. He refused to wake up again. The crime show had to end though, and Sasuke seemed restless, so Naruto moved off of his lap and claimed the cushion next to him. Another crime show came on, that time revolving around a murder-suicide, but Sasuke reached over and turned the television off. Naruto couldn’t tell if it was night or morning, but he followed after Sasuke as the man left the living room. Together, they headed to bed.

The first thing he noticed was the fact that he wasn’t in sweats, and he wasn’t in his orange-and-black jacket; instead, he wore a dress shirt and slacks, as if he’d come home from work and simply passed out on the couch. The crisp, white shirt was wrinkled and half-in and half-out of his pants, and his feet were covered by grey trouser socks. His pants were a disaster as well, the perfect creases ruined by numerous wrinkles. He should have changed into casual clothes before he’d passed out, but dream him was apparently irresponsible, which wasn’t too different from regular him. Sasuke wore a shirt and sweats and had slippers on his feet, which made a little bit of noise on the hardwood floors. When they reached the bedroom, Naruto tackled Sasuke onto the bed and refused to budge, even as Sasuke poked and prodded his sides, trying to tickle him into submission. He was warm and safe and content. Eventually, he had to move; he had to change out of his wrinkled clothes and into something more comfortable. Where he should have been comfortable changing in front of Sasuke, he hesitated, peering over his shoulder to make sure Sasuke wasn’t looking. Sadly, Sasuke’s attention was focused on him.

“Look away,” Naruto pouted, motioning with a finger for Sasuke to turn away. Sasuke smirked and turned so that he had a perfect view of Naruto. Grumbling to himself, he walked into the closet and closed it behind him, changing in the extremely tiny space. He chose to wear sweats, not a shirt, so when he emerged, Sasuke looked at him and beckoned him forward by holding out a hand.

“You’re never shy. It’s weird,” Sasuke admitted, bothered by Naruto’s hesitation. Naruto wasn’t a shy person, but some situations made him uncomfortable. He hadn’t seen Sasuke since he was in his twenties, but they’d been more than comfortable changing in front of one another. Roommates did what they had to do. Changing in the men’s shower room hadn’t been an option, as most of the men were incredibly insecure and liked to dump water on people. “What was your dream about?” He ran a hand through Naruto’s blonde hair and tugged on a lock of it.

“It was more like a nightmare, honestly,” Naruto frowned, pressing himself against Sasuke’s side. Sasuke looped an arm around his shoulders, so he leaned in to kiss Sasuke’s jaw. His dreams carried him away from his sad, lonely life. He didn’t want to talk about what it was like being divorced, how he’d lost his job, how he had no friends. “I was divorced,” he began, cringing at the memory of being served the papers. “It was sad. I lost my wife, sure, but I lost my kids too. Child support payments and spousal support payments took almost all of my money. My job let me go,” Naruto continued, eyes downcast. 

“That does sound like a nightmare,” Sasuke agreed, speaking only when Naruto refused to go on. He hadn’t wanted to talk about his sad, sorry life, but sharing the worst points with Sasuke actually made him feel better. Sasuke leaned in to nudge a kiss to Naruto’s temple. “Let’s get some sleep. You were tired enough to pass out in the middle of your game show,” Sasuke informed him, causing him to gasp. He loved game shows.

“Yeah, sure. Fine,” Naruto yawned, crawling over the bed to his usual side. He got under the covers, then he waited for Sasuke to join him. Sasuke curled up at his back and held him close. He hadn't been held by another man before. The relationships he'd had always required him holding his partners. Being held was nice; it made him feel warm. "Hey, Sasuke?"

"You're not going to go to sleep, are you?"

"Nope! Not yet." He sighed and Naruto hid a smile, even if Sasuke couldn't see his face. 

"What is it?"

He'd been married to Sakura, but with Sasuke, he had no ring on his finger, and Sasuke's ring finger was also bare. Naruto took Sasuke's right hand in his and laced their fingers together. Sasuke was warm and his hand was smooth, devoid of calluses and scars, unlike Naruto's hands. Sasuke had a pretty decent childhood, where Naruto had been working to survive since he was sixteen. He liked that Sasuke had a better childhood though; he liked the fact that Sasuke had a great older brother to check in on him. Naruto had Iruka, but they hadn't spoken in months. Naruto had been dodging the man.

"Why aren't we married?" Sasuke didn't immediately reply, so Naruto wondered if he'd picked an uncomfortable topic. Sasuke hadn't been into dating. He'd admitted to one serious relationship, but the feelings had faded and he'd ended things. Naruto wondered if his relationship would end the same. He really didn't need a bad dream. "It's alright. It's stupid. Let's get some sleep!"

"Because we've just never talked about it. I assumed you were happy with the way things were. You aren't happy?" Naruto thought he felt Sasuke kiss the back of his neck, then he felt Sasuke shift to lean on an elbow. Naruto turned his head to see his boyfriend.

"Of course I'm happy. I have you, dattebayo! It's just, I wondered. We've been together for some time, right?" He paused and waited for Sasuke to nod. The moonlight slipping through their windows hit the side of Sasuke's face. "Why don't we? Unless you don't want to! Then that's alright! Just, maybe, you know, something to think about."

"Marriage doesn't mean much to me. It's just a piece of paper to me. I didn't know you felt this way. You should have told me sooner." Sasuke frowned and sat up, so Naruto did the same. "If it means something to you, I'm not against it. I intend to spend the rest of my life with you, if that's what you're worried about."

Naruto loved hearing those words. He swore that he would never be happier than he was with Sakura, but Sasuke proved him wrong. He felt the butterflies in his stomach, as if their fluttering wings could carry him away. Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's right cheek and leaned in to kiss him. Oddly enough, the kiss tasted like grapes, and Naruto decided that it was the most wonderful thing he'd ever tasted. Feeling brave, Naruto broke the kiss and moved to straddle Sasuke's legs. The second kiss was much better than the first, and kisses three, four, and five bled together.

Making love to Sasuke was nothing like making love to Hinata. She was oddly silent and never lasted very long, and she hated cuddling afterwards. Naruto usually curled up on his side and glared at the wall until he eventually dozed off. Sex with Sasuke lasted longer, and he felt as if his every emotion went into it. That's how it should have been. He could have had that. He hated himself for not admitting his feelings to Sasuke. But in his dream, he had everything he needed and then some. He fell asleep in Sasuke's arms, content to feel the warm breath tickling his ear. When he opened his eyes the following morning, he grinned to himself and turned over, but he found himself staring at the peeling wallpaper on his bedroom wall. The dream had ended. He was alone again. He had soiled boxers and dirty sheets and nothing of Sasuke. He fell back onto his mattress and stared up at the ceiling. He felt the weight of the skeleton key in his right palm. That key gave him everything he wanted, but only a taste of his deepest wishes, a parade of possibilities that had never worked out.

He wanted Sasuke.


	5. Kakashi

He barely functioned for the next three days, feeling as if he'd lost three wonderful relationships instead of one. A part of himself told him to keep using the key, to spend every moment in whatever world his heart and mind conjured up, but he knew he would lose himself that way. He went to job interviews and clipped coupons and tended to the garden out back for some extra cash. No one wanted to hire him, and he hated off-brand items, but he made due with what he could afford. It was in the afternoon on the fifth day that his willpower burst. He'd been eating cheap cereal and he simply put his spoon down and left the half-eaten cereal on the table. The key seemed heavier in his hand, and a chill raced up his spine at the thought of another experience like the one he shared with Sakura and Sasuke. Just once more. He promised himself that. Just one more time. He put the key into the lock and swung open the door and he lost himself again.

Something smelled absolutely delicious and he inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of a quality, home-cooked meal. He hesitated to open his eyes. He wasn't in bed and he wasn't on the couch. He came around in a plush chair, where he had one leg thrown over the arm and the other bent at an angle. He groaned as he moved his stiff muscles. Thirty-three year olds definitely didn't need to sit that way, let alone pass out that way. Someone had obviously draped a blanket over him, so he folded the blanket and set it on the arm of the couch. His nose carried him from the living room into the kitchen, and he found himself staring at his old neighbor. Naruto blinked a few times, caught off guard by seeing Kakashi in a cute yellow apron with a dog on the front. He'd forgotten the embarrassing crush he'd once had on the older man. There was about a fourteen year difference between them, but Kakashi looked as if he hadn't aged a day. He turned to smile, his eyes briefly closed, then he went back to making okonomiyaki. Naruto had loved Kakashi’s cooking.

"It smells great!" Naruto rubbed his hands together and went to look at the food, but Kakashi waved him back. "Aw, come on! Just a taste! You're such a good cook!"

"Chef. And nope. No tasting until it's done. Remember the last time? You ate all of the ingredients and I could only make one." Kakashi smiled again, but Naruto saw a threat there and backed off. Left hip against the counter top, he watched Kakashi adding the ingredients. "I told you I'd teach you how to cook. Maybe you wouldn't resort to cup ramen whenever I'm working late," Kakashi teased. Naruto huffed at him. 

"Do I get to call you sensei?"

"Are you trying to make me feel ancient?"

"Yep!"

Kakashi leaned over to the sink and flicked dish water at Naruto. Naruto shouted and held up his arms to shield his face. The bubbles from Kakashi’s fingertips stuck in his hair. To help, Naruto decided to wash the dishes. There weren't many, as Kakashi had always liked a clean home. Kakashi’s father had been the same way, up until the end. Naruto remembered coming home from high school and watching the EMTs bring a covered gurney out of the house. Sakumo had taken his own life. He remembered the heartbreak on Kakashi’s face, the tears running from the man's eyes. The power plant had shut down and their finances hadn't been that good. At the time, Naruto was with his third family in two years. Naruto spent all that summer spying on Kakashi through a loose board in the fence. When his adoptive mother found out, she'd taken him right back to Iruka.

"You don't have to look so crushed. You're going to eat," Kakashi laughed, misunderstanding the look on Naruto's face. 

Naruto had never known what to say to Kakashi. He spent weeks getting up the nerve, and then he'd simply run out of time. The last thing he'd said to Kakashi was _good luck with your new job_. That was it. No condolences. No apologies. He didn't even know if the man got the job. Based on Kakashi’s correction to the word _chef_ , he assumed the man had succeeded, at least in the dream. He began to doubt they were dreams though. When he'd cleaned his sheets, he'd found a used condom, and there was no way to explain it. And with Sakura, the smell of cherry blossoms had followed him. When he looked down at the dish water, he found that he'd washed all of the dishes. They were drying on the mat.

"Do you believe that there are multiple universes out there? Like maybe, well, maybe this is us _now_ and maybe there's a Naruto out there who's sad and alone?"

"You've been reading a lot of science fiction lately."

"I'm serious, dattebayo!"

"I don't really know. It's possible, but only because we can't disprove the theory. I can't say yes, and I can't say no. Do you understand?"

"You made it sound complicated. Just stop at 'I don't really know' next time," Naruto mumbled, reaching down into the dish water to pull the stopper. Kakashi stared at him for a little too long, so he gave the man a reassuring smile. "Just science fiction thoughts. It might sound crazy, but the main character found this really old key that opened a locked door in his apartment and then he kept waking up in these different scenarios, and maybe he doesn't want to go back, you know? The places he visits are all so nice."

"What is he running away from?" Kakashi seemed focused on cooking, so he didn't expect a response. At the words, Naruto frowned. He was running away from _everything_. Naruto nudged his toes against the linoleum. "You said he doesn't want to go back. Is his life and his world so bad that he'd rather spend the rest of his life running? He always goes back to his world, doesn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but," Naruto trailed off, seemingly embarrassed at being called out. Kakashi waited for him to gather his thoughts. The man was funny and kind and immature as hell, but when he was serious, he showed the world why some called him a genius. "His life is shit, Kakashi. There's nothing there for him. He doesn't want to go back. He just wakes up back there and he's crushed all over again. That key answers all of his 'what-if' questions. What if he had the nerve to tell someone that he loved him? Or her."

"Naruto, that sounds like a very sad book. Maybe you shouldn't read it anymore," Kakashi frowned. He turned the hot plate off and moved to take Naruto into his arms, and Naruto clung to him. They stayed there, holding one another for several minutes, until Kakashi pressed a kiss to Naruto's temple. "It's okay to escape for a little while. No one can blame him. Everyone needs an escape every now and then."

"That summer, before my adoptive parents gave me up, I wanted to tell you that I had feelings for you. I wasted all summer getting up the nerve to talk to you and I blew it."

"I'm not stupid. I caught you watching me. You did tell me you had feelings for me later, and I'm glad you did. I'm surprised the age difference didn't bother you."

"Yeah, well, it helps that you're still hot as hell, Kakashi."

Naruto saw him blush and he grinned and leaned in for a kiss. He inhaled the scent of mint and looped his arms around Kakashi’s waist. In the end, Kakashi was right. The closet was an escape, ironic as it was. The key coming into his life was oddly the best thing to ever happen to him. His questions were answered. And for a time, his heart was full. But going back left him feeling lower and lower. He tasted what he'd thought he'd never have and he wanted it all. He wanted kisses with Sakura and cuddling with Sasuke and cooking with Kakashi. He wanted the lives he deserved, not the life he'd been dealt. Eventually, Kakashi made a comment about their food getting cold, so they grabbed their plates and took the food to the dining room.

He lived in another house, and he passed several dogs on his way to the dining room. They all barked and ran over to greet them and it took everything to keep from throwing his plate and hugging every single one. Kakashi had fostered dogs for the local animal shelter, as if he weren't good enough as it was. As they sat down to eat, Naruto snuck pieces of food to the dogs, careful to do it only when Kakashi wasn't looking.

"Naruto, I know you're feeding your food to the dogs. Is my cooking that bad? Your dear old husband slaves over a stove for you and you feed the food to the dogs?"

"I saw you doing it too! And you aren't old! You're middle-aged!"

"Must you hurt me, Naruto?"

Naruto tried to kick his shins under the table, but Kakashi had the same idea, so they ended up kicking their feet. Dinner was over when Bull sat up and took the food from Naruto's plate. Naruto shouted, but he barely heard it over the sound of Kakashi’s laughter. To make things even, Naruto leaned across the table, grabbed Kakashi’s plate, and fed it to Pakkun. After that, they cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and went to lounge on the living room couch. Kakashi pulled out a worn copy of _Icha Icha Tactics_ and Naruto couldn't help but smile. In one world, that had been one of his masterpieces. Naruto slowly slid across the couch cushions until he was flesh against Kakashi, then he leaned in to see the pages. Kakashi eyed him a few times, but always went back to reading. It was the most calming moment Naruto had experienced in a long time. He eventually stopped reading and rested his head on Kakashi’s shoulder. He would have loved a life with Kakashi, with eight dogs and a picket fence and nothing but quiet time shared between them. The key had gifted him another wonderful life. And it was one he would cherish.

"Let's do something together," Naruto suggested, stifling a yawn. Kakashi turned to arch a brow at him and he blushed and slapped Kakashi’s thigh. "Not that, perv. Unless you really want to, then I guess I'll have to," Naruto continued and trailed off with a shrug. Kakashi chuckled and knocked him over the head with the book.

"You usually read with me. Giving up on that book of yours?"

"More like enjoying the last chapter. It's a great one."

"Ah. I'm glad. We could take the dogs out back. I'll help you in the garden."

The backyard was spacious and had a nice dogwood in bloom. As the dogs ran about, Kakashi led the way to the large garden to the side of the yard. There was an area for vegetables, which Kakashi began to tend to, and there was an area full of flowers. Honeysuckle was in bloom along the side of the fence, so all he smelled was their sweet aroma. He'd always wanted a garden of his own. He loved the bushes around the edge of the yard and the tiny bird bath with a small stone dog at its base. He had a great life with Kakashi.

Naruto watched him gather some of the ripe vegetables, taking care with a young tomato plant. He was more interested in Kakashi than pulling weeds around his flowers. When Kakashi noticed, he tossed a carrot at Naruto's head and it hit him right between the eyes, leaving a smudge of dirt on his face.

"Hey! Watch where you're throwing that! You could have put my eye out!"

"Oh? I'm hearing I should try again."

"I'm not above tackling you in this garden, all of these flowers and vegetables be damned, old man."

"So now I'm old," Kakashi said, placing a gloved hand over his heart. Naruto rolled his eyes and threw the carrot back in Kakashi’s direction. "You clearly need to be taught a lesson." That gained Naruto's attention, but he made no move to follow through, so Naruto snorted and focused on pulling weeds.

Kakashi took a basket full of vegetables into the house. Naruto barely glanced up from his work. The next thing Naruto knew, he got sprayed in the back with the hose. Naruto turned a murderous look on the man, but he took the opportunity to spray Naruto in the face. Blonde hair plastered to his head, water streaming down over his chest and pants, he got to his feet and tackled Kakashi, taking another spray to the face before he connected and they went down in tangled limbs. Naruto lay atop him and reached out to grab the hose, then he slipped it into the waistband of Kakashi’s pants and sprayed him. Kakashi shouted at the cold water and Naruto rolled off of him in a fit of laughter.

"Sometimes I really don't like you."

"You started it, dattebayo!"

They wrestled for a few minutes, where Kakashi thoroughly kicked his ass, then they lay on the wet grass, chests rapidly rising and falling. For good measure, Kakashi sprayed Naruto again with the hose, then tossed it out of reach. With the sun setting, Naruto rolled back over until he was half lying on top of Kakashi and nudged a kiss to his cheek. As if on cue, the dogs pounced on them. Bull was the last one to join the crew and Naruto and Kakashi groaned under the added weight.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you. I love this garden. I love these dogs. This life is the best."

Kakashi chuckled, then he leaned in to kiss Naruto on the lips. "I'm glad. Now help me get these dogs off of us. I'm losing the feeling in my legs." Kakashi lightly swatted Naruto’s ass and he groaned at the mere thought of getting Bull to move. The dog was massive, after all. "I think your character should learn from the worlds he visits. Life is what you make it, don't you think?" Kakashi smiled at him, the curve of his lips accenting the beauty mark on his chin. For that, Naruto kissed him.

Just like the last time he came to, the closet door was shut and locked and he had the key in his right hand. He woke up at the kitchen table, a few pieces of crunchy cereal stuck to his face. He thought of Kakashi’s words, but they only made him want to go back again. He pushed the chair away from the table and hurriedly shoved the key into the hole, but the key snapped off. The door wouldn't open. He tried pliers, he tried tweezers, but nothing worked. The more he tried to open the door, the more panicked he became. He had to go back. He needed to go back. Sakura. Sasuke. Kakashi. They were gone, far out of his reach. And he loved them, each and every one of them.


	6. Chapter 6

The first week was the hardest. He didn't want to leave his apartment, so he lived off cup ramen and a bottle of tequila he found lost in his kitchen cabinet. Tsunade visited once or twice. She didn't ask him what was wrong, didn't force him to talk. They sat and drank together until she finally had enough and returned to her own apartment. He knew she only wanted to make sure he didn't hurt himself. It was during the second week when he received paperwork from his divorce attorney stating that they got another custody hearing. Every day, the gaping hole in his chest seemed both bigger and smaller. He contemplated tracking the three down. He knew that Sakura was in the capital, while Sasuke was likely somewhere in the city with him. And Kakashi? Well, he was the safest bet. Naruto knew exactly where he lived. He chose to throw caution to the wind and visit the man. He had to. He couldn't move on until he finally bared his heart to the man. Was it a little crazy? Yes. But he deserved a chance to be heard. He wasn't seventeen anymore. 

His old adoptive parents had moved away several years back, but the people living there alerted him that Kakashi was still living next door and that his foster pets kept them up half of the night. Naruto had worn jeans and a t-shirt with a bowl of steaming ramen on the front, and he felt underdressed. As he contemplated leaving, he found himself crossing over onto Kakashi’s lawn. He paused on the pathway to the porch, looking back over his shoulder at his beat-up sedan. Visiting Kakashi was a stupid idea, and he anticipated the door slamming in his face. Running a hand through his spiky locks, he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and marched up to the front door. The home still had the porch swing and it moved in the light breeze, reminding him of times when Kakashi invited him over for some fresh fruit salad in the summer heat. He’d mowed the lawn for the guy too. Naruto checked his breath, then he reached out and pressed on the doorbell. He heard a chime come from inside the house, then he heard a chorus of barking. When the front door opened, the screen door followed, and Kakashi looked at him with an arched brow. Naruto, still nervous, forced a smile and motioned to the front yard.

“Great weather we’re having. Your yard looks good!”

“Ah, well, without my cute little neighbor to take care of it, I try to do my best.”

“You remember me?”

“It’s kind of hard to forget you. Naruto, yes?” Naruto quickly nodded, his smile more genuine that time. Kakashi opened the door a little further and Naruto saw into the home. Eight dogs were at the door with him, their tails wagging, just fighting to see the one at the door. Seeing them, Naruto blinked a few times, his head spinning. He recognized every dog. “What can I help you with?”

“Um,” Naruto began, trailing off into silence. One of the dogs started barking, so the others joined in, their howls another chorus. Kakashi sighed and turned to scold them, then he pointed at another room and the sad dogs slowly left the front hall. When Kakashi’s attention returned to him, he decided it was best if they were both sitting down. “Hey, can we sit out here and talk? This is kind of a big deal for me and,” Naruto trailed off again, rubbing the back of his head. Kakashi looked at him, silently questioning what the rest of the words were, then he stepped out onto the porch and led the way to the white, wooden swing. 

Kakashi sat down on the swing and waited for Naruto to join him, then he slowly moved the swing back and forth. The motion helped calm Naruto’s nerves, so he lost himself for a moment. With the warm breeze on his face, he tried to think of the best way to proceed. He didn’t know if he still felt the same, but whenever he doubted his feelings, he thought of the world where he and Kakashi had been together. Every world was wonderful on its own; each one made his heart swell. Kakashi looked out over his yard, seemingly lost in thought. There was a slim scar, a vertical line over Kakashi’s left eye, where an enemy had tried to blind him and failed. Naruto forgot that the man had served in the military, just like Sakumo. Kakashi had gotten out though, an honorable discharge for a reason Kakashi had never disclosed. Kakashi had a breathtaking smile, and he hoped that he would see it that day. He realized, after a few silent minutes, that thinking things over did nothing to help him. Spontaneity had been his thing, when he was younger. Kakashi had liked that about him.

“I had feelings for you. That last summer I lived next door, I wanted to tell you, but I kept making excuses. I really chickened out. I never realized how much I regretted it until recently. I thought I’d tell you now. It’s late, I know, and I’m sorry for throwing this at you.”

“Maa, I already knew that. You always had this sparkle in your eye, and you grinned a lot too. I thought you might actually get the nerve to say something, but you didn’t, and it was for the best. I’m fourteen years older than you. You don’t want an old man.”

“You’re not an old man, and I’m sitting here because I definitely want you. I’d like to get to know you. It’s been a long time.”

The screen door opened and another man poked his head out. He looked utterly ridiculous with his bowl cut and his large eyebrows, but he had a winning smile that broke Naruto’s heart. He didn’t know why he’d thought it was a good idea to visit Kakashi, not anymore. Kakashi had moved on. It was over a decade ago. Naruto needed to move on too. Instead of leaving, Naruto bowed his head to stare at his old sneakers. He really needed a new pair, but he didn’t have the money. Beside him, Kakashi sighed and waved a hand at the man, silently urging him to go back inside. The man frowned, looked between the two of them, then slowly closed the door, allowing them more privacy. Naruto heard the dogs barking, signaling the man had likely gone into that room. Kakashi leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, and looked at the quiet road in front of the house. Not a single car passed. When Kakashi scrubbed his hands over his face, Naruto cringed and looked away, finding something interesting in the honeysuckle slowly climbing up the trellis on the right side of the porch. When he breathed in, he smelled nothing but honeysuckle.

“He’s my friend, Gai.” Kakashi had obviously felt the need to explain himself. Naruto hated how relief flooded him.

“Oh. I thought you were,” Naruto trailed off again, giving in to his nerves. He’d trailed off too much, let the words escape with the silence. Kakashi turned to look at him and he saw how tired the man looked. And yet he was still just as handsome as Naruto remembered. Kakashi shook his head. They weren’t together. When he opened his mouth to speak, Kakashi opened his mouth to speak, so Naruto motioned for him to go on.

“Naruto, I’m flattered, but a lot has changed,” Kakashi said, a frown tugging at his lips. Brows furrowed, Naruto opened his mouth to object, but Kakashi held up a hand to stop him from interrupting. “What do you want from me?” 

Hurt flashed in his blue eyes and Kakashi looked away from him. Naruto had expected many things, rejection among them, but that single question crushed him. What did he want from Kakashi? He wanted a chance. He wanted to prove that he still had feelings for Kakashi. He wanted to make the other world a reality. He wanted Kakashi to love him. Instead of saying those things, Naruto shrugged his shoulders. He’d wanted a lot, and maybe that was wrong of him, to want so many things from someone. Kakashi had changed. And hadn’t he changed? He wasn’t the same seventeen-year-old kid drowning in his feelings. Naruto got to his feet and looked in the direction of his sedan. Visiting Kakashi had been a stupid idea, one born from hope and desperation. Had he expected Kakashi to want the same thing? Yes. The look on Kakashi’s face, the confusion and the exhaustion, was answer enough. He wanted the door to open for him again. 

“Ah, nothing. I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea. Sorry to have bothered you,” Naruto said, forcing a grin. He turned to go and he heard the porch swing squeak as Kakashi stood. He thought the man would stop him. He’d hoped the man would stop him. But Kakashi just stood on the front porch step and watched him walk away. Naruto felt eyes on him as he walked down the sidewalk to his car. When he looked back, he saw the screen door closing. He was suddenly glad that he didn’t try to track down Sasuke or Sakura. He saw the divide between worlds. 

Week three crawled by, and he finally had a phone call from the employment agency in town. He had an interview at a publishing company, and it went surprisingly well. When they extended the job offer, he took it without hesitation. He missed the routine that came with work; he wanted something to distract him. And it turned out he was great at his job. After ninety days, he got a pay raise, and he had enough money to cut back on his coupon clipping. He was able to pay the rent he missed and put money down for future payments, just in case. But he still thought of Kakashi, of the expression on the man’s face. He added one more regret to his pile. 

It was a Thursday when he saw her again. He’d stopped to pet a stray cat that had followed him from the parking lot to the main entrance of his building. If the back entrance hadn’t been stuck, he would have missed her altogether. She was dressed in purple scrubs, her long blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail again. When they made eye contact, he saw her light up and he found himself grinning. The cell phone she’d had pressed to her ear was removed and she focused solely on him. 

“What are you doing around here?”

“My lease was up, so I had to move. Looks like we’re neighbors!”

Ino pointed to the nice building to the right of his own. She pointed up to the third floor and he saw the lavender curtains swaying in the breeze. She’d left the window open to enjoy the cool day. The cat circled his legs before moving on to Ino, so she bent down to pet the cat. 

“Hey, you, uh, want to do something sometime? There’s this great ramen shop,” Naruto said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder to point in the direction of Ichiraku’s. She wrinkled her nose and he gasped at her expression. “You don’t like ramen? It’s homemade! You get to see them making it!”

“Sushi?”

“Yuck. No.”

“Ugh. You’re terrible. Steak?”

“Hell yeah! If you want steak, I’ll take you out for steak! The next time can be your treat,” Naruto joked. She smirked at him, then tucked some of her loose blonde hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t text you. I was having a hard time.” Naruto shifted on his feet and he found his eyes straying from her face to his apartment window. He thought of the key again, as he did every day, but the pull wasn’t as strong. He was doing better. In the end, he didn’t need those other worlds or those other people. His life had taken a turn for the better. 

“I didn’t text you either. A friend of mine passed away recently and it’s touch and go,” Ino frowned, adjusting the strap of the purse on her shoulder. He shouldn’t have asked, but the question came out before he had the chance to silence himself. “Her name was Sakura,” Ino explained, shattering his world. The recognition and the sadness was something that Ino understood. “So you knew her,” Ino sighed, shaking her head back and forth. “She was something else. I miss her a lot. She was my roommate. That’s why I had to move.” Ino shifted on her feet then, looking as anxious as Naruto felt. But he rested a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“She was definitely something else.” Naruto didn’t know what else to say about her. His big world seemed a little smaller. It was odd how things worked out for him. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, then he went for it. “Hey, do you know a guy named Sasuke?”

“Huh? Yeah. He’s a real prick,” Ino scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked him over from head to toe, clearly judging him, so he laughed. “You aren’t friends with that jerk, are you?”

“No. We were roommates in college. I just lost contact with him. It was a risk asking, but I thought you might know him. The world’s pretty small, isn’t it?”

“Extremely small, but I’d say it’s a good thing. I’m glad I ran into you.” 

“Yeah. I’m glad too.”


End file.
